A peer-to-peer (P2P) network uses diverse connectivity between participants in a network and the cumulative bandwidth of the network participants rather than conventional centralized resources where a relatively low number of servers provide the core value to an application service. P2P networks are typically used for connecting nodes via largely ad-hoc connections. Such networks are useful for many purposes such as sharing file content containing audio, video, or any files in digital format. A pure P2P network does not have the notion of separate clients and servers but rather the nodes are viewed as equal peers that simultaneously function as both clients and servers on the network. This differs from other network arrangements where communication is to/from a central server serving clients across the network. One example is an FTP server where the client and server programs are distinct, the clients initiate the download/uploads, and the servers react to and satisfy these requests. A node can be considered a connection point, either a redistribution point or an end point. In general, each node has the capability to recognize, process, and forward transmissions to other nodes across the network.
Many multi-function devices found in document reproduction (print/copy job) environments support the Extensible Interface Platform (EIP). The EIP platform helps effectuate the development, installation, and operation of custom service solutions designed to help businesses leverage existing application solutions such as Eros, Corms and Elms, along with existing database solutions such as SAP, Oracle, SharePoint, etc. An EIP service is a web-based application developed via the EIP Software Development Kit freely available from the Xerox Corporation, Norwalk, Conn. USA. EIP software generally includes three broad categories of application programming interfaces (APIs). Multifunction Services APIs provide tools for programming and controlling various device capabilities and functionality. Also included in this group are interfaces enabling, for example, job accounting and authentication. Management Services APIs help control various aspects of multi-function device management. Presentation Services APIs help manage the presentation of web pages, service icons, and the display of other information on a user interface of the device.
Vendors develop custom EIP service applications to address organization-specific business challenges. One example service integrates employee badge information into a security solution which allows employees to swipe their badges at a card-reader integrated with the multi-function device to gain access to device features that can be individually tracked, for example, for accounting and regulatory purposes. Another service solution enables a system operator to access secure print queues and release jobs at one of a plurality of document reproduction devices across their enterprise network. Yet another allows a user to scan directly to a client folder.
When an instance of an EIP service gets installed on a computer platform on the network of multi-function devices, an administrator must manually register the newly installed service with each device whereon that service is intended to be made accessible. Typically, registration of a newly deployed EIP service application involves an administrator connecting to each device and manually entering various information about the service such as, for example, the location of the service application on the network; the location of an icon image for the service; any text to be displayed along with the icon; and pointing the device to any other files required by the service. Once all the information has been entered, the device's browser functionality retrieves the files from the platform hosting the newly deployed service. Completion of the registration means that an icon for that service appears on the device UI and the service is now accessible by a user of the device.
Manual registration and configuration of newly deployed application services across a fleet of multi-function devices can be a time consuming and tedious task. Manually entering information can be error prone. Registered services need to be tested from each device's UI to ensure that all the information required to invoke that service was entered correctly. Otherwise, the service may not operate as intended. Further, when a service becomes no longer available on the network such as, for instance, the platform hosting the installed service is off-line due to a network failure on the subnet serving the service, that service must be manually de-registered from all devices in a similar manner. A user selection of a service icon from a device UI invoking an application that is unavailable may have unintended consequences. Manual registration and de-registration of services across large numbers of multi-function devices may cause frustration among administrators of fleets of document reproduction devices. Solutions enabling automatic registration and de-registration of custom application services have been solicited.
Accordingly, what is needed in this art is a method for automatic registration and de-registration of EIP service applications across a fleet of multi-function devices in a peer-aware network environment.